Bengal BJP Chief Backs CEC Kumar, Seeks Padma Bhushan
Samik Bhattacharya credits Gyanesh Kumar with a “violence-free” Bengal election and changes to the voter rolls
- Bengal BJP chief backs CEC Gyanesh Kumar.
- Bhattacharya seeks Padma Bhushan for Kumar.
- BJP leader praises SIR-related voter-roll changes.
- Opposition continues to question EC functioning.
GG News Bureau
Kolkata, 26th Sept: West Bengal BJP chief Samik Bhattacharya on Friday said Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar deserved the Padma Bhushan, India’s third-highest civilian award, crediting him with ensuring what he described as a violence-free Assembly election and overseeing changes to the state’s electoral rolls.
Bhattacharya’s remarks came amid a controversy over the Election Commission’s functioning following reports that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had raised objections on several occasions over decisions and procedures linked to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Speaking to reporters in Panihati, North 24 Parganas, Bhattacharya said Kumar deserved to be honoured “at the very least” with the Padma Bhushan.
He attributed the absence of reported election-related violence and intimidation in the state to the Election Commission’s functioning and said voters were able to cast their ballots freely.
Bhattacharya also credited the SIR exercise with what he described as the removal of names of Bangladeshi infiltrators from the electoral rolls. These remarks were made as a political claim by the BJP leader.
The BJP leader also criticised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his allegations against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and CEC Kumar, dismissing Gandhi’s criticism of the poll panel.
The remarks come amid wider political scrutiny of the Election Commission. The Congress held nationwide protests on Friday demanding Kumar’s removal, while a plea was also filed in the Supreme Court challenging certain poll-related orders and alleged software changes.
The Election Commission has maintained that its decisions are taken in accordance with the law and that internal notes, observations and differing views during deliberations are part of the functioning of a multi-member constitutional body.
